“Now I know only in part; then I will know fully . . .” – 1 Corinthians 13:12
We had to buy a new TV recently after one of ours went k-put. No big deal, I thought, knowing that they can be purchased at almost any discount or big-box store at a reasonable price, including upgraded features from our old one, or “smart TVs” as they’re called. All I would need to do is take it home and plug it into the cable box and the electrical outlet, then – voilà – we would be back in business. Hardly! As I quickly learned, a “smart TV” does not mean the TV is smart. What it really means is that in order to hook it up and operate it, one must BE smart. Clearly, I’m not!
Let’s face it, technology has become as essential to our lives as food, shelter, and transportation. And few of us, I suspect, would dispute the tremendous advancements and efficiencies it has provided in today’s world. Yet, except for the professionals in the technology field, the rest of us tend to fall into one of two categories: those perpetually frustrated trying to adapt, and those who enjoy and embrace the challenge. While the former, though they would agree it is necessary, find it painfully intimidating, the latter view it as exciting, challenging, and filled with possibilities.
So, in defense of my intellect I would prefer instead to be identified in the “frustrated trying to adapt” group as opposed to simply not being smart. And just because technology is not my greatest strength does not mean I don’t admire those for whom it is, and not just because they are technically savvy. I also appreciate that, unlike me who just wants someone to show me what to do, the second group represents a spirit of adventure, a willingness to explore and experiment, to be curious and ask questions.
What a great metaphor the complexities of technology are for the complexities of life, in that there are so many things about which we do not know all the answers. Thus, there is much to be learned from that second group, those who find technology – and life – exciting, challenging, and filled with possibilities. For, it is not always the smartest person in the room, the one who seems to know all the answers, who is the wisest; rather it is the curious one, the person who asks the most questions. They approach life as it really is, “Now I know only in part; then I will know fully.”